Jazz Guitar Primer

[m78w]

Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to pass along this Jazz Guitar Primer I recently wrote for Modern Guitars Magazine. The article covers 8 classic guitarists and just gives an overview of their careers and contributions to the jazz guitar world.

Check it out here if you're interested.

Introduction to Jazz Guitar Music: A Jazz Guitar Primer

MW

[wizard3739]

Great article Matt! Very good and accurate history lesson for anyone interested in jazz guitar! Congratulations!

wiz

[m78w]

Thanks Wiz, it was a lot of fun to write, though very hard to just narrow it down to 8 players!

MW

[m78w]

Yeah, I was trying to highlight a few of the players, like you mentioned, just to show that they weren't much different in their day careers than most of us today. It's amazing how many legendary musicians had to hold down day jobs to pay the bills, in one way it's humbling, in another it's inspiring that they were able to make that music and balance all of their commitments.

MW

[Sailor]

Thanks so much....a master class.

Sailor

[PaulD]

Matt, I really enjoyed reading about 8 of my all-time favorites. I can imagine that it was challenging to narrow it down. I like how you mention who they influenced. Thanks!

Paul

[Banksia]

I couldn't have cut it down to 8. You picked a good range of eras and styles.

[NSJ]

Excellent article, Matt. My guitar teacher, who has been teaching for about 55 years and remains good friends with Johnny Smith for many,many decades now, calls him, appropriately enough, the *Segovia of the Electric Guitar*. I had no idea that Johnny made such an album as you write about (*Legends of the Jazz Guitar*). I'll definitely have to hunt it down, for sure.


As well as check out some Van Epps. That's the glaring hole in my jazz guitar record collection.

As long as we're talking about *day jobs*, who can forget the sign painter?

Again, thank you for the excellent, well-thought out piece.

[pierre richard]

nice work m78w....

all favorites for sure...

time on the instrument......pierre

[m78w]

Hey NSJ, here's the link to the Legends album featuring both Johnny and George, one of my all time favs!

Amazon.com: Legends: Solo Guitar Performances: Johnny Smith, George Van Eps: Music

MW

[NSJ]

Originally Posted by m78w

Hey NSJ, here's the link to the Legends album featuring both Johnny and George, one of my all time favs!

Amazon.com: Legends: Solo Guitar Performances: Johnny Smith, George Van Eps: Music

MW

Cool, thanks, already on order.

[derek]

Some of my favorite Van Eps are the 2 discs he did with Howard Alden. I think they did 3-4 together. Just some sublime playing and interchange.

[fast1]

not bad, thanks for the contribution!

[m78w]

Hey Everyone,
I finally got around to editing and doing some rewriting on the jazz guitar primer for version 2.0, check it out.

Jazz Guitar Primer: An Introduction to Jazz Guitar Music

MW

[wizard3739]

Matt, you have done an excellent job on the history of jazz guitar and the most influential jazz guitarists in the history of jazz guitar! It is well written and will be a great source of influence for many jazz guitar students. If you continue to write about the jazz guitar masters, IMHO, you should consider including Jimmy Raney, Jim hall, Ed Bickert and Lenny Breau as they each have made major contributions to the jazz guitar world.

wiz

[Sailor]

Thanks again Matt....we miss you.

Sailor